Brother SE700 vs PE900: Which One to Buy

On this page (16 sections)

1. The main difference between the SE700 and PE900
2. What the SE700 and PE900 share
3. Sewing: only the SE700 can sew
4. Embroidery field: 4 x 4 inches against 5 x 7
5. Built-in designs, fonts and bonus patterns
6. Screen, editing and threading
7. Thread handling: Color Sort and trimming
8. What comes in the box
9. Size and weight
10. Hats, caps and cap hoops
11. Warranty: the same split on both machines
12. What to buy with either machine
13. Who the SE700 suits
14. Who the PE900 suits
15. Which one fits your first project
16. Which Brother to buy: SE700 or PE900

Buy the Brother SE700 if you want sewing and embroidery in one machine. Buy the Brother PE900 if you want a bigger embroidery field and don't need to sew.

This Brother SE700 vs PE900 comparison goes through both machines feature by feature, so you can match one to your projects. We compared the specs for both and scored each against what a buyer choosing between them is shopping for.

New to embroidery? Start with embroidery machines for beginners to see how a home machine works before you pick a model.

Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. The PE900 scores 8.7 and the SE700 scores 8.5, because the PE900 adds field and designs for embroidery alone while the SE700 covers two jobs.

The table shows the three specs both machines share: type, embroidery field and weight.

The main difference between the SE700 and PE900

The main difference is sewing: the SE700 sews and embroiders, and the PE900 only embroiders. The second difference is the embroidery field, which is 4 x 4 inches on the SE700 and 5 x 7 inches on the PE900.

Most other features overlap, so those two points decide the choice for most buyers. Focus on what you want to sew and how large your designs run.

What the SE700 and PE900 share

The two machines share wireless transfer, a color touchscreen, an automatic needle threader and the same warranty split. Those features rarely decide the choice.

• Wireless LAN and a built-in USB port, plus Brother's free Design Database Transfer software.
• The Artspira app, which lets you draw custom patterns or download patterns and send them to the machine wirelessly.
• On-screen editing and a preview of the design before it stitches.
• An automatic needle threader that pushes the thread through the needle eye.

Brother says wireless transfer needs a wireless network and that compatibility can vary by device and operating system. Check your computer and router before you count on it, since the USB port is the wired backup.

The PE900 also works with Artspira Thread, sold separately, which keeps your thread colors organized in the app.

Sewing: only the SE700 can sew

Only the SE700 can sew. It has 103 built-in stitches, 10 styles of one-step auto-size buttonholes and 8 sewing feet.

Brother says it sews at up to 710 stitches per minute. The feet cover zigzag, zipper, buttonhole, blind stitch, overcasting, button fitting and monogramming jobs.

The PE900 is embroidery only. Brother says it does not work as a traditional sewing machine, so hems, zippers and buttonholes need another machine.

If table space is tight, the SE700 gives you both jobs in one machine. If you already own a sewing machine you like, the PE900 doesn't repeat it.

Embroidery field: 4 x 4 inches against 5 x 7

The PE900 has the bigger field, 5 x 7 inches against 4 x 4 inches on the SE700. That is about 35 square inches against about 16, so the PE900 area is more than twice as large.

Brother SE700 vs PE900 field size in numbers

One side of the PE900 field is 1 inch longer than the SE700 field, and the other is 3 inches longer. A design over 4 x 4 inches but within 5 x 7 inches fits one hoop on the PE900 only.

Check each design's size before you choose a machine. Our hoop sizes guide explains how hoop size and design size work together.

What 4 x 4 and 5 x 7 inches look like

A 4 x 4 inch field is about the size of a drink coaster, and a 5 x 7 inch field is about the size of a 5 x 7 photo print.

Small designs such as monograms and initials fit a 4 x 4 inch field. Those are common first projects, so the smaller field works for many beginners.

A bigger design needs a bigger field. That is the main reason to look at the PE900.

Built-in designs, fonts and bonus patterns

The PE900 has more built-in designs and fonts: 193 designs and 13 fonts against 135 designs and 10 fonts on the SE700. It also offers 50 bonus designs through the Artspira app.

The PE900 library includes scrollwork, floral and quilt patterns, plus 10 frame shapes and 14 stitch patterns. Its 13 fonts are 9 English, 3 Japanese and 1 Cyrillic.

The SE700 gives you 135 designs and 10 lettering fonts to practice with before you buy any design files.

The PE900's bonus designs need firmware 1.51 or above and the Artspira app. Brother says the firmware update needs a USB drive that isn't included, and that the bonus patterns are for personal, non-commercial use only.

Screen, editing and threading

Both machines have a color touchscreen with on-screen editing, but Brother names more editing tools for the PE900. Those include letter editing, zoom, resizing, rotating, repositioning, combining designs and mirror image.

Both machines have an automatic needle threader. The PE900 also has a numbered threading diagram printed on the machine and on-screen tutorials for threading and attaching the embroidery arm.

The SE700 has an automatic thread cutter and a drop-in top bobbin that Brother describes as jam resistant.

Thread handling: Color Sort and trimming

The PE900 has Color Sort and Jump Stitch Trimming, and the SE700 has an automatic thread cutter. Color Sort changes the order a multi-color design stitches in, which reduces color changes.

Jump Stitch Trimming trims excess thread jumps within a color on its own. That saves snipping on designs with many jumps.

Cut thread with snips, keep your fingers clear of the needle while the machine runs, and unplug the machine before you change a needle.

What comes in the box

The PE900 box holds more embroidery supplies, and the SE700 box holds the sewing feet. Those are the parts that differ most when you unpack.

The PE900 includes 4 bobbins, a 5 x 7 inch embroidery frame set, white embroidery bobbin thread, a dust cover, scissors, a seam ripper, a cleaning brush, spool caps and three screwdrivers. It doesn't include sewing feet, since it's embroidery only.

The SE700 includes 2 bobbins, a 4 x 4 inch embroidery frame set, an embroidery arm, a needle set, a twin needle and 8 sewing feet. If you buy a bundle, check what it adds against this list.

Size and weight

The PE900 weighs 21 pounds and the SE700 weighs 15.6 pounds, so the PE900 is about 5.4 pounds heavier. Both are about 12 inches tall.

Brother gives the PE900 size as 17 x 10 x 12 inches and the SE700 size as 16.5 x 7.76 x 12.09 inches. Measure your table and the height under any shelf before you pick a spot.

Hats, caps and cap hoops

Caps need a cap hoop or cap frame, sold separately for home machines, and the hoop has to list your exact model. Most home embroidery machines are single-needle and flat-bed, which is why caps need that extra hoop.

Read each hoop's model list for the SE700 or the PE900 before you buy.

If caps are the main job, a multi-needle machine is the usual choice. Our single needle vs multi needle guide explains the trade-off.

The hat hoops and cap frames guide lists the cap hoops we compared. Can a home embroidery machine stitch hats covers the basics first.

Warranty: the same split on both machines

Brother gives both machines the same warranty split. It's 1 year on parts, labor and accessories, 2 years on electronic components and circuit boards, and 25 years on the chassis casting.

Brother says the 2-year cover excludes replacement labor, and that the original receipt sets the purchase date. Keep your receipt, and start at Brother USA for the full terms and support.

What to buy with either machine

Either machine needs stabilizer, embroidery thread and spare needles before your first project. Plan to buy them separately from the machine.

Our guide on whether you need stabilizer for embroidery explains what goes under the fabric. Embroidery thread vs sewing thread explains which spool to use on top.

Who the SE700 suits

The SE700 suits a beginner who wants one machine for sewing and embroidery and mostly stitches small designs.

• You want hems, mending and small embroidery on the same machine.
• You have limited table space and can't fit two machines.
• You like having 135 built-in designs and 10 fonts to practice with.
• You want the lighter machine, at 15.6 pounds.

If you outgrow a 4 x 4 inch field, the PE900 is the next step up in this pair. Our best embroidery machines for a home business roundup compares bigger fields and more needles.

Who the PE900 suits

The PE900 suits a beginner who already sews, or doesn't plan to sew, and wants room for bigger designs.

• You want designs up to 5 x 7 inches in one hoop.
• You like Color Sort, Jump Stitch Trimming and the longer list of editing tools.
• You want 193 built-in designs, plus 50 bonus designs through Artspira.
• You're fine with a 21 pound machine that doesn't sew.

Which one fits your first project

Start with the size of your first design and whether you also sew. The table matches common first projects to a machine.

Price changes, so compare the current price of both machines on the day you buy.

Which Brother to buy: SE700 or PE900

Pick the SE700 if you want sewing and embroidery on one machine and your designs fit a 4 x 4 inch field. It's the practical choice for a beginner who wants both skills without a second machine.

Pick the PE900 if you already sew, want designs up to 5 x 7 inches and like on-screen editing with more built-in designs. It's the better buy for embroidery alone, as long as you accept the extra weight.

Read the SE700 review and the PE900 review for the full picture on each machine. If neither fits, the Poolin vs Brother comparison looks at another route, and our beginner roundup for budget machines lists more models.

Measure your largest design and your table before you order. Those two checks settle this choice faster than any feature list.

Frequently asked questions

Can the Brother PE900 sew like the SE700?

No, the PE900 is embroidery only. Brother says it does not work as a traditional sewing machine, so hems, zippers and buttonholes need a separate machine or the SE700, which has 103 built-in stitches, 10 styles of one-step buttonholes and 8 sewing feet.

Which has the bigger embroidery area, the SE700 or the PE900?

The PE900 has the bigger area, at 5 x 7 inches (about 35 square inches) against 4 x 4 inches (about 16 square inches) on the SE700. A design larger than 4 x 4 inches but within 5 x 7 inches fits in one hoop on the PE900 only.

Do the SE700 and PE900 both connect wirelessly?

Yes, both have wireless LAN and a USB port, and both work with Brother's free Design Database Transfer software. Brother says wireless transfer needs a wireless network and that compatibility may vary by device and operating system, so check your computer and router first.

Which is better for a beginner, the SE700 or the PE900?

The SE700 suits a beginner who wants sewing and embroidery in one machine and stitches small designs. The PE900 suits a beginner who already sews, wants a 5 x 7 inch field and 193 built-in designs, and has room for a 21 lb machine.